


In The Shadows

by Jsayra



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Archaeology, Blood and Violence, Drama & Romance, F/M, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:41:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 21,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21739282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jsayra/pseuds/Jsayra
Summary: An adventurer from an early age, Judy has always dreamed beyond. Daughter of a famous archaeologist. From an early age, she was involved in her father's things. An only child, her mother died when she had her first litter. Of the four Kits, only she survived. Her father never stopped loving little Judith, but things in his work were not going well and when Judy was ten years old, her father took his own life. Since then, Judy has always leaned on his childhood friend, Nicholas Wilde, a cunning and good fox, who, as much as Judy, archaeology was his passion. Together, they have already set off on numerous expeditions and adventures, stopping for a few months and returning to action again.(My Summary exceeds the limit words. I will put it with the chapter. It's essential to be all the summary.)
Relationships: Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde
Comments: 8
Kudos: 6





	1. Shadows 01

**Author's Note:**

> If you're a writer, you can understand me. 
> 
> Namely, I intend to keep some things faithful to the game, but Judy will have her personality, although I will take some concepts from Lara and the character's family from the game. 
> 
> Well, I won't go on any longer. I hope you enjoy this new adventure. I'm open to criticism. But, please, constructive criticism and not offensive.
> 
> If you don't like the story, don't read it. Simple. 
> 
> Important:
> 
> Note that there is no such thing as Zootopia. Mammals will exist in our world. It hadn't made sense for me to invent names, and in my mind that didn't help, so you will see London and Mexico a few more cities, quoted in history. 
> 
> Well, imagine our world without humans LOL 
> 
> Without further ado, the first chapter for you =D

_**Summary:** _

An adventurer from an early age, Judy has always dreamed beyond. Daughter of a famous archaeologist. From an early age, she was involved in her father's things. An only child, her mother died when she had her first litter. Of the four Kits, only she survived. Her father never stopped loving little Judith, but things in his work were not going well and when Judy was ten years old, her father took his own life.

Since then, Judy has always leaned on his childhood friend, Nicholas Wilde, a cunning and good fox, who, as much as Judy, archaeology was his passion. Together, they have already set off on numerous expeditions and adventures, stopping for a few months and returning to action again.

However, when Judy turned 25, an artifact in one of the Father's diaries, caught her attention. That little dagger had already been mentioned over and over again on the phone. The discussions were daily, and Judy saw the anger in her father's eyes. Without even knowing what that artifact really was, Judy never considered looking for it, or even suspecting that this object was wrapped in her father's death. She then decided to look for it. She would have to know what had happened for her father to have taken his own life and left her alone in a cruel and selfish world.

 ** _NA -_** Based on the atmosphere of Lara Croft's third game, The Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Judy will have some peculiarities of Lara Croft, but not so much. The story will be different, but the dagger of the game is the essence. Nick will be her companion. Yeah, together, they set off on an adventure.

Zootopia belongs to Disney.

* * *

The plan was simple: Go in, take some pictures of the artifact and get out. Easy and fast.

"A beautiful sunny day and _you stuck_ in caves!"

It was nothing new for the fox. Sitting on a rock, the walkie-talkie was next to his snout. The sun on the horizon was already showing signs of descending, leaving the sky in a wonderful orange tone.

"Remind me again, _why_ you want to check out this cave?"

"In my father's diary, it was indicated that I would find proof of what Trinity is up to." On the other side of the walkie-talkie, an enthusiastic female voice replied.

"Yeah, right!” Nick rolled his eyes and sighed. Not that he didn't like adventures and caves, but for two years they had been moving around and he liked to spend time at home in comfort and not always with death behind him.

"Nick, it'll just be this cave and we'll go away." a little laugh and one more sign.

And, in fact, it was just that cave that she was going to explore. After finding what she wanted, she would settle down at home for some time, wrapped in books and papers to discover the "why" of that strange dagger was the death of her father and Trinity's wish. All it would take; was photos of the artifact she was looking for. The prints would give clues. The words in the ancient language would be the discovery to decipher character and Latin on the father's diary.

"You have twenty minutes to take the pictures and get out of there!" Nick rushed. Out of him staying there longer.

"Yes, Slick!" she answered back and put the walkie-talkie in her waist buckle.

The road wasn't hard to follow. She was very slender on damp ground. The rocks crowded into each other, forming large walls of various shapes. The flashlight on one of her paws valued every corner in the darkness. The other free paw was the support and helps her not to go in vain into the unknown. A few more meters were enough, and a large tomb stood in front of her, inert and shining. There, in that space, in the rocky ceiling, the natural sunlight illuminated the large black cover over the tomb. Judy's eyes were illuminated. She was fascinated. Although over the years she had already seen many tombs. First, she climbed a few small steps. Then, she put the lantern down somewhere on the ground. Then, her paws began to caress the engravings on the stone. Minutes later, the camera was taken from her pants pocket and placed in her vision. Shot after shot, accompanied her as she surrounded the tomb. The more information she brought, the better.

"Oh, Nick, this is going to help me a lot!" she took the walkie-talkie and said.

"Great! Now hurry up," he rushed her.

"OK, OK... Geez!" putting the device back in the buckle, Judy took a few more pictures, before putting the camera back in her pants pocket.

Suddenly, a little beep started to echo over the place. Violet's eyes searched where it came from. And when she realized it, she only had time to jump and fall on her stomach by the entrance she had passed before. As such, the noise of the explosion didn't go unnoticed by Nick, who got up and searched where it had gone. Soon after, he communicated through the walkie-talkie, where Judy replied that she was fine.

"Get the hell out of there!" He begged her, shouting when the ground under his feet began to crack.

"NOW!”

He didn't have to repeat it a second time. Judy started running out of the way back to the entrance. The darkness had disappeared, being the ashes of sunlight, which entered through the cracks in the ceiling of the cave, was the necessary illumination for her to see where she put her feet.

She ran. She ran until she had to stop abruptly. The main entrance was covered by the rocks that had succumbed from the ceiling.

_Oh, cheese and crackers!_

Frustrated, Judy turned to all sides, looking for an exit somewhere to the surface.

However, outside the carve, Nick tried to keep his balance. The cracks got bigger and bigger, and he had to cling to the ground tooth and nail to avoid falling in vain. By pushing, he managed to put his knees on the firm ground that had not succumbed. His open paws were the support for his exhausted body. His chest filled and emptied with force. At least he had managed to get out of there. But his rest was short when he turned his body back to where he had left off. His heart was racing. The cave had collapsed with Judy inside. His paws were shaking. He knew that death always went hand in hand with them, but this idea was always passed over. Now, the fear of it had taken a hold of him. Suddenly, his walkie-talkie started making noise. Nick pulled him out of the buckle of his belt and pressed the button, starting to talk.

"Judy?" He called in fear.

"Nick, I'm fine, but..."

"But..."

"I'm stuck with no way out to the surface." distress could be perceived in her tone of voice.

"Be still," he asked. "Give me a moment."

He didn't keep the walkie-talkie back on the belt, keeping it on his paw. Then, he searched with his emerald green eyes for some hole or fissure in the middle of that wreck of stones and earth.

"Look for sunlight. Maybe there's some hole you can get through!" Nick asked, carrying the little device to his face. "Meanwhile, I'll look up here. I'll give you the coordinates if I find anything."

Judy searched. Her violet eyes ran through every nook and cranny. There were indeed small holes from which the light penetrated, but none was big enough for her to pass through.

_I should have listened to Nick. He was right for me to be quiet._

Suddenly, an unusual sound alerted the rabbit. What sounded like wheels of a passing car and the sound of the brake to stop the engine was heard. Heavy steps, voices interspersed in each other, and a shot. Judy's chest filled and emptied with force. Trinity had found them.

 _Damn!_ She grumbled between her teeth and turned her attention to looking for a hole she could pass through.

Upstairs, smirks smiles were put on the faces of three mammals. In one of them, the pistol was still inert, pointed at a fox with his paws behind his head.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Wilde," hard was the tone of his voice.

Nick didn't need to turn around to face the character to which that voice belonged. He knew the mammal well.

"What do you want, Andre Lopez?"

"Well, astute as ever. That's why I like you better than that stupid bunny." He literally spits out the words.

"What do you want?" This time, Nick turned and stared at him, keeping his paws behind his head.

"Your friend has something that belongs to me." Andre was sincere. He wouldn't beat around the bush. His dark blue eyes faced the fox in front of him from top to bottom.

"I don't understand you." And in fact, he was trying not to understand.

Nick knew who Andre Lopez was. He knew him too well for his taste. Judy's father's helper, his age went unnoticed in him. Some traces of old age were noticeable on his face, but nothing else. A scar over his left eye was proof of the discussion Stu Hopps had with him once, at home in his and Judy's presence. From this discussion, it became clear that Stu had gained an enemy, and that he would do anything to bypass the poor rabbit's archaeological discoveries. It was because of him, that Stu took his own life. Judy knew he was who to blame and Nick didn't deny it. Ten years passed, and he like Judy started investigating Trinity and the artifact that her father was so obsessed with. They won an enemy for life and Nick repulsed himself because of the fact Andre being of the same kind as him. Taking the color out of his fur. White as snow and a well-defined body.

"The photos that your precious friend took, will be the key to what I want!" The straw on his snout spun from side to side. The insistent smile marked an expression of joking, which was making Nick furious.

"How do you know what she found out is about that?"

"Now, don't play dumb, you idiot fox. Why else did she need to come all the way out from the comfort of London to the hellish heat of Mexico?" 

And it was true. Nick knew it was only a matter of time before Trinity found out where they were going.

"What are you going to do?" Nick spit out the words.

Looking from the fox at the two mammals that were with him, with guns pointed at his figure, Nick had no escape from there.

"Me?" Andre took a finger to his chin in a thoughtful gesture. "Nothing, simply." And he smiled again. "Rest assured that I do not intend to kill Miss Hopps. It would be a waste, so gifted with intelligence that that precious bunny is. But as for you, the matter changes completely." 

Nick swallowed it dry.

"Boys, arrest him," Andre asked, turning his back. "As for Miss Hopps, I'll take care of her myself." And he went to the jeep, going around, and opening the back door.

**_To be continued…_ **


	2. Shadows 02

Her back slipped over the rocky walls. She was exhausted. She had turned that space from one end to the other, with no way out.

_And now?_

She couldn't die in that place. She was very young and still wanted to end this investigation and put an end to her suffering.

_Am I not lucky at all?_

Besides, Nick. She knew Trinity was there. She feared for him. Andre never played in service and she knew that evil fox, wanted to get Nick out of the way. It would be one less mammal to deal with.

Suddenly, the walkie-talkie on her belt started making noise. Judy took a paw to the little device. Pressing the button, she didn't even have time to speak when the voice that came out of the device, made her eyebrows come together in an angry expression.

"Hello, Miss Hopps," he said. His tone of voice sounded fun.

"What do you want? And what did you do with Nick?"

"Don't worry about it, girl. I won't kill your boyfriend... _For now_!"

A closed fist went to the ground hard. Andre wasn't joking, she knew that.

"What the hell do you want?" she screamed. She knew her voice was altered.

"There are a few things I'm interested in. So, let me help you out and we can talk calmly. What do you think, young lady?”

"You won't even get what you want!" Her heart was racing. Her breathing started to move faster. It was not fear, but anger that began to emerge within her.

"Oh, such wise words. But I don't intend to kill you yet. Your intelligence is precious."

_Damn it!_

"I can't get out of here!" and it was true.

"That won't be a problem." He laughed on the other side. "I advise you to hide well, young lady."

“What?" The words came out of his mouth in confusion.

It was then, that she realized what was going to happen next.

"Boys, it's time!"

And an explosion. The rocks in the ceiling began to give way, opening a big hole. But with the explosion, the rest of the cave began to collapse. Judy feared for her life. She had nowhere to hide. One of the stones scraped her right shoulder, making a small cut. Other small cuts appeared in the delicate figure of the rabbit, while Judy tried to deviate from the larger stones.

Upstairs, Nick yelled at Andre. He even tried to run but was pulled by the collar of his shirt by one of the other mammals and forced to kneel on the ground. His paws were handcuffed behind his back and the mammal behind him now pressed the gun into the back of his head.

_JUDY_

His mind screamed and the tears began to invade his eyes. Was it this time that he had finally lost her? It would not have been the first time that his heart had been broken. On an expedition years earlier, Nick was forced to remove her wounded and unconscious body from one of the caves that, like this one, had collapsed. It took three weeks in the hospital and a month to recover. At that time, Nick did not leave her side, always closed and helping her whenever it was necessary. As such, he couldn't stop that rabbit from keeping quiet. And when Judy was fully recovered, a week later, they were already looking for more artifacts.

The crack was big enough for three mammals to pass through, as soon as the rocks settled on each other. Andre was satisfied with the work.

"Very well, boys!" then he approached the hole and landed one knee on the ground, keeping the other leg raised and put one of his arms on his knee. "Let's see how long it takes you to get out," he said to himself.

Judy was buried under the rocks. The damage wasn't much. In which, she breathed with relief. Despite the small wounds she had on her body, she hadn't hurt any of her limbs so she could use them. The problem was that she didn't have much room to move. But she had enough room to remove the pick that she had on her belt. The little tool would be a big help in climbing from there to the surface. Without delay, she started climbing. The small space was so tight that her back was rubbing against the rocks, making the rabbit's tears fill her eyes. However, she had to endure it. Staying there longer would be a death sentence. The rocks could collapse. And the oxygen would run out. A pickaxe on her right paw. The left paw followed on the rocks. Every move was painful, but she had to get out of there. She climbed, and she climbed. She stopped to catch her breath and climbed again. The sunlight began to appear in the middle of the darkness.

_A few more meters, Judy, and you'll make it to the top._

And, in fact, it was not missing much more meters above. One more effort and the pickaxe like her other paw reached the top of the cave. She pushed her exhausted body and let herself fall on her back, regaining her breath. Then she turned her head to her left and noticed that she had left behind the Jeep.

_Thank you, gods!_

Straightening herself with the help of her paws, she stood up and crouched before the back of the Jeep. She looked to see where the mammals were. She saw one of them. He was on his back and maintained a position of how to "bind" someone, but who? Then, she went to the other end of the Jeep. There, she noticed that Andre was crouching, checking when she would leave. She breathed a sigh of relief that his plan hadn't worked. Soon after, the other mammal. He was walking towards the jeep.

 _Perfect opportunity_. She thought. She could shoot him down without the other two noticings.

In the middle of the back of the jeep, the pickaxe was placed in front of her chest. Her two paws grabbed the fist. She took another deep breath and closed her eyes. She concentrated on her hearing and waited for the mammal to approach. Relaxed, he approached. On his paws, he carried some explosives that were not necessary, to be kept again on the jeep.

_Just a few more steps and..._

The mammal didn't even have time to react. Judy silenced him soon after, sticking the sharp end of the pickaxe in his neck. The mammal fell to the ground lifelessly. Once again, Judy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Killing would make no difference to her, not when she knew Trinity's males had orders to capture her. Although Andre asked them to bring her alive before his presence, many would be well able to kill her in cold blood. And it was a good few years since she had to kill a mammal as self-defense. At that time, she was shocked. Nightmares tormented her, but after discovering the true intentions, she "got used" to killing.

Without further ado, she circumvented the jeep. Silent steps were taken, and the mammal fell to the ground.

"Judy..." Nick whispered when he saw her.

"Don't move!" she asked as she crouched down to remove the cuffs.

When the metal fell to the ground, Nick relieved the pressure on his wrists. Then Judy looked for the mammal's gun. She picked it up, checked if it was unlocked, and passed Nick. Seeing this action, he questioned her what she was going to do. In which she didn't answer him. Standing firm, with a gun in her paw and a stretched arm. Wide steps were taken, and in the middle of the walk, she screamed.

"Your investigation ends here, Andre!”

A laugh.

An arched eyebrow in confusion.

He stood up and turned to her, raising his arms in the air, in a gesture of redemption.

"Astute as ever."

"Always."

And she fired.  
  


**_To be continued…_ **


	3. Shadows 03

" _Tsk_ , what a waste of bullets." Then Andre looked at the little hole in his precious white blouse. "Oh, this shirt was expensive," he faked a face of displeasure.

"What do you want with the information I have with me?"

The pistol on her paw wasn't diverted, remaining at the same angle. Judy knew that Andre never walked without a protective vest, so the bullet would be in vain. But the feeling of shooting him might seem wrong, but it gave her great satisfaction.

" _That's_...none of your business anymore." Andre started walking towards her. "However, as intelligent as you are, you know what I mean very well. Your father made an enormous discovery. And I must thank him for that!" more and more space were cut.

"What do you intend to do with the notes?"

"Many... _Things_."

Already a mere centimeter away from the rabbit, he took the pistol from her paw and kept it in the cover he had at his waist. Judy arched her eyebrows, furious. Although he had a beautiful face, that fox repulsed her. Before passing through them, Andre stopped by her side, whispering to her: "Your steps will be followed. That dagger will be mine and you will be the bait to find it," and he turned and laughed as he made his way to his jeep.

He strayed from the dead mammals, twisting his nose. He thought to himself that it was a waste. Since those were the best mammals who had been with him. Sighing, he entered the jeep and started the engine. Soon, he got out of there.

However, Judy breathed a sigh of relief. Her heart began to beat at a normal rate. Nick approached her friend, looking at her from top to bottom. He found that she had a big cut on her shoulder and that the blood was already flowing down her arm. Sighing, Nick pulled out a handkerchief in his pocket and began to wrap it around the wound.

"Let's go to the local hospital. You need stitches in the cut."

Judy simply nodded and bit her lower lip when Nick knotted the scarf.

"We'll deal with Andre later. You need to get some rest and no complaining."

Grabbing her friend's paw, they left there and headed for the car.

***

Latin music was nice. In the small town of Cozumel, the festivities for the _dia de Los Muertos_ had already begun. The mammals of various species were lively. The kits ran happily through the busy streets. In their snouts, small masks, like well-decorated skulls. Judy had to deviate from two small creatures that ran down the stairs from the café _'La Casa Mexicana'_. Once upstairs, Nick and she sat down at one of the tables. On the wooden table, photos were scattered like the map. Nick, in turn, just filled the glass with the local beer, after asking the waitress, who had approached them as soon as they arrived.

"I knew I'd find out something." The rabbit's paws checked the photos. Each one was carefully ironed out with her violet eyes.

Nick looked at her from the side and drank some of the beer. At that moment, he noticed another mammal sitting on one of the tables on the ground floor.

"Judy, we have company.”

The rabbit's eyes removed from the photos and went in the direction Nick was pointing sideways with his head.

"Dr. Dominguez? What is he doing here?”

The black wolf crossed his legs. His arm was stretched out, giving an indication for the waitress to approach.

"I heard he's leading an excavation for Andre in the area." Nick shrugged his shoulders.

"My father mentioned him in his diary. More than once." Judy turned her attention to the pictures again. "He is an expert on pre-colonial ruins. But why is he digging for Trinity?" 

"I don't know about that. But they say he's a good mammal, always willing to help the city." Nick took the glass to his lips.

However, on the rabbit's paws, photos would go from one side to the other. While she had to recover, she had made some notes in the photos with the marker. But something escaped her. When she noticed something.

"Nick, look!" in one of the photos, she took it and showed it to her friend. "The Enigma. The pictures I found. They are constellations". Then, with one of her paw's fingers, she slipped it while reading the pictures at the same time. _"To find the hidden city, go south along the coast until you find the pink fish_...".

"Oh, I found something about that!" Nick interrupted it. She stared at him. "It's not fish, it's pink dolphins. A species that can only be found in the Amazon."

Judy turned her attention back to the photo: "And this continues...so you go chases the heart of the serpent to the silver-colored mountain.” The photo was set aside, and she grabbed another one. In this photo, a yellow line stands out: "Look at this!" with her finger, she pointed at a specific point in the photo, showing Nick: "The serpent is the constellation of Hydra. This star, here, in the heart. And it settles in the Southwest."

"So, the southwest will be for the Amazon River...Brazil?" he pondered.

Again, in the photo, Judy took the black marker and started drawing lines over the prints in the photo. "This date of the ruins...see? If you look closely, it's damaged. This number looked like the thirteenth number of the Maya..." Pause and another drawing. "...no, wait! Isn't it an eight?" Then she stared at Nick's green eyes again. "With precision...?"

"What?" the fox arched an eyebrow, confused.

"Ah...Precision. The earth bends, as you know. And just like time, the stars appear in a different place on the horizon...important if you are guided by them at night."

"Okay.” The simple answer and he drank the rest of the beer.

"In the Maya calendar, that's two million years apart! At that time, the heart of the serpent went straight to the west." While Judy was saying that, the black marker drew a ball on the map in the city of Peru.

"So that's why he's in Peru and not in Brazil. Trinity has been looking in the wrong place." His green eyes strayed from the map to the wolf. The wolf was finishing his coffee when a mammal approached.  
  


"Chief, it's all set." Said the mammal.

"Great.” The wolf got up from his chair and, before leaving with his colleague, left a few coins on the table. "It's about time."  
  


"Fluff, I don't want to rush you, but Dr. Dominguez is up to something."

"He and Andre are looking for something, but what?" Judy started to pack things inside her backpack. "We need to know what they're up to. And for that..."

"We need to start on the silver-colored mountain in Peru. Yes, carrots, I get it. But we need to know what that wolf is up to first." Nick got up and removed from his backpack two masks like the one the kittens had. He passed one to Judy. "Keep your ears covered with the hood. And don't take your mask off at all. They're looking for you. I'll be careful too."

Wearing the masks, they paid the bill and went down the stairs into the crowd. Trinity couldn't find anything important in that hidden city. Judy was thinking to herself what they would be after. Was it the dagger? What would it matter? Andre wanted it, she knew it, but...for what? They would have to hurry. If the dagger was to be the key to something, and that's what Trinity was really after, that object couldn't stay on their paws.

**_To be continued…_ **


	4. Shadows 04

Judy kept a step back, trying to question some mammals out there, trying to find out what they thought about Dr. Dominguez. Many answers to her questions, Nick had already said so when they were at the café.

_Good mammal. Always willing to help._

Those were the words spoken.

Nick kept a reasonable distance from Dominguez and the mammal that accompanied him. Always attentive to what they did, the words that were exchanged between the two mammals, died to the murmurs of voices and the sound of fireworks in the starry sky.

"Impossible to hear," he grumbled between his teeth.

"Look where they come in. I'll try to go around the alley of the city."

"It seems to me that they will go to that gate.” Nick raised his arm and pointed. Judy followed the gesture with her eyes. "Oh, damn it! The guards," the fox twisted his nose.

"Try to distract them. I'll go in that way." This time it was Judy's turn to point. Nick's eyes went in the right direction and twisted his nose.

"I'm glad you're little, Carrots!" Rolling his eyes, he turned his back and started walking towards the guards. "I'll be waiting for you. Find out what Dominguez wants. Be quick!"

Judy nodded, positively, and she was in the direction that she had pointed. The fence in front of her would be easy to climb. And, above it, a small crack, wide enough, for her thin body to pass through without getting hurt. Without delay, she started climbing the fence. She passed the hole and jumped to the other side. At that precise moment, Dominguez passed along with his companion. The two of them murmured something. In which, Judy managed to decipher in the middle of the crowd's noise.

"After so many years, we finally found out. I need to have access to this tomb as soon as possible".

"The helicopter is being prepared."

Then she couldn't hear them as soon as they began their way back to the path they had initially taken.

"I was able to find out, that Andre is by the helicopter." Nick's voice came out through the walkie-talkie on the rabbit's belt. "Be quick to realize what they want. Take a shortcut so you won't be seen. The guards are looking for you. I could hear one of them giving directions to look for you. Andre must have warned that you would be in town." Judy sighed. Then she took the walkie-talkie and answered Nick.

"I'll chase them without being seen. I'll take the shortcut behind the houses," putting the device back in place, she chased the two mammals closely.

The houses on both sides cut off her vision, but Judy knew it was going in the right direction. A little further ahead, Judy had to crouch to avoid being seen. Through the large hole in the wall, Dominguez stopped and turned to his companion.

"Andre needs to know that in that tomb there, are the necessary inscriptions for the dagger."

"Yes, boss."

"What about Judith Hopps?"

"The only information we have is that she’s here."

"Great. Warns the other guards. When you find her, bring her back alive to me" and he returned to the helicopter.

Judy advanced a little, always crouching so as not to be seen. As she passed to the other side of the wall intact, she heard one of the guards giving indications about her species and her physiognomy, through the walkie-talkie. Judy got angry and started running. She needed to reach Dominguez before he took off.

"Carrots, you'll have to reach the tomb first." Nick's voice left the walkie-talkie again. The rabbit stopped running and focused on the device, confused by her friend's words.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Our walkie-talkie interfered with theirs. I heard Andre inform Dominguez that he was on his way to the tomb."

"But, which tomb?"

"Andre mentioned about a picture...mural, more precisely, that would indicate where the dagger was."

"Nick, in my father's diary, indicates that the dagger is lost somewhere in the hidden city.”

"As hard as it is for you to believe, your father was wrong. Andre is as cunning as you are, and he must have discovered something before us."

"But..."

"As much as I want to stop you from sticking yourself back into a cave if what he says is true and if the mural can indicate where the dagger is, you'd better be the first to discover it. You already know what will happen as soon as Trinity finds it first."

Judy rolled her eyes.

"Wait for me on the other side of town. Watch out for the walkie-talkie. I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

"Yes...uh...Judy, please leave without any injury."

"I'll try, Slick," and she put the walkie-talkie back in her belt.

_Damn it! Why do they always have to screw things up?_

Judy ran the rest of the dirt road in the middle of the houses until she came up with voices over a wall and some spotlights in the distance. Without delay, her attention was diverted to the wall, where she climbed it. Once upstairs, she threw her backpack on the ground first and then jumped.

She took off her mask and cape, showing again her blue top, black pants and brown boots up to her knees. Then, she opened the backpack and removed the bow, where she put it on her back and her pistol, she put it on the leather she had on her belt. Walked a few steps, she saw an engraving in the form of a circle. The dialect was different, which she could not decipher very well. Soon after, a scream and voices. Without delay, she hid in the bush in front of her. Carefully, she removed her bow and arrow. Then, she checked one of Trinity's guards approaching. Without delay, she adjusted the arrow on the bow and fired. A sharp arrow on the guard's head caused him to fall silently to the ground lifeless. Judy pulled out another arrow and, once again, put it in the bow. Getting up and strayed from the bushes, she saw another guard and a mammal on its knees on the ground with his paws behind his head. It didn't take her long to think. Judy shot and killed the guard. Scared, the mammal on the ground, looked at her as she approached and at the same time put the bow back on her back. 

"I won't hurt you!" were the words and soon a paw stretched out to help him get up. The mammal willingly accepted the gesture. "What did you do to Trinity's mammal?"

"Nothing. They have been looking for the entrance to a tomb for several years. Today, they found it," the mammal said. "Thank you for your help. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go back to the city” and he ran back to the courtyard to the festivity.

Judy sighed and went back on her way. She had to discover the tomb before they did. Further ahead, she was forced to stop abruptly. She heard interspersed voices and knew that the place would be crowded with Trinity's guards. She hid in the shrubs. She looked up and counted how many mammals were there on that perimeter. Three. Two were chatting happily, while the other one remained entertained at the PC. Doing well the evaluation of killing silently, she would have to call the attention of the two who were talking. They would look for her as soon as they heard the noise, and it would be at this very moment that she would kill them. She looked for some object that would make noise. To her misfortune, she did not see anything. Then, she remembered. Shooting two arrows on both opposite sides would be a good plan. Slowly, she removed the first arrow and, placing it on the bow, shot at the wall. As she had predicted, they listened and dispersed to look for it. Making the same gesture, she shot the second arrow. Then the third arrow stuck to the head of one of them. The fourth, in the heart of the other mammal. To the mammal that was busy and squatting in front of the monitor, the wood of the bow at the back of his neck, was enough to knock him unconscious for a long time. Judy was stunned. There were still more mammals missing that would be in the open enclosure.

Her back went against the cold wall. Looking sideways, she counts how many she would have to shoot down, and how many she would have to distract. Luckily, they were well dispersed to shoot them down silently. The first three fell to the ground without complications. The other two went immediately afterward. Thinking she was finally free her way, she put the bow on her back again and began to search the pockets of the mammals. Bullets and a rifle were the objects that would come in handy. She put the rifle on the shoulder and stood up, beginning to walk towards the door. When a well-known sound made her hide behind a small wall. With her heart racing, she removed the rifle and placed it in front of her. 

"Catch her! Alive or dead, I don't care!” One of the guards shouted, turning his paw in the air, giving directions for the other guards to disperse.

Judy put the rifle down on the wall. Adjusting the sight of the rifle, she started firing. She caught the first guard who was trying to hide. The second mammal shoot in her direction, but Judy crouched down behind the wall, in time to deviate and she fired seconds later. She killed him without complications. Another and another fell to the ground inanimate. Only, their boss was missing.

"Andre asked me to take you alive, but... It won't be in this life" and he shot.

Judy had time to go astray, crouching again. Then, she positioned herself and fired. She heard the mammal squeal.

 _Damn!_ She grumbled between her teeth.

Another shot. This time, Judy squealed. On her right cheek, a line of blood began to appear. Her eyebrows came together. She was furious. She wanted to get it over with, so she could get to the grave before Trinity. She re-positioned the rifle and took the sight to her eye. She waited for the mammal to rise from its hiding place to kill him for good. Seconds later, she saw her chance. She glimpsed the mammal's shoulder and fired. The pistol on his paw fell to the ground and he squealed with pain. Judy got up. The barrel of the rifle was comfortably placed on her shoulder. The other paw was placed on the trigger. Her eye met the aim. With vague steps, she approached the mammal. The pipe was placed on the mammal's forehead.

"We will be met in the other life” a victorious smile appeared on her lips.

And she fired.

**_To be continued..._ **


	5. Shadows 05

The mammals stalled her for too long. When Judy passed the entrance and came across a cliff, she sighed. The rough sea underneath would be a direct fall to death. Then, her violet eyes looked around. In the rocks beside her, the walls were rough, giving her the chance to jump and place her picks. But... something was missing! But what?

Once again, she looked in all directions. When, suddenly, she remembered. In her father's diary, he had something written down. Something about... wait! That's it! The moon. Judy remembered that in his father's notes he meant the moonlight. That was it. Looking at the full moon, the full moon shone over the plains in front of her and, if she was not mistaken, the light would be the indication of the entrance to the tomb.

Judy turned back to the way she had come. And she noticed a ruin covered by the bush. She approached the ancient stone, diverted the dense vegetation and her fingers began to run smoothly through the delicate engravings. Meanwhile, she read the description aloud.

"Ix Chel, the goddess of the full moon. Chak Chel, the new moon" below the pictures, a short description. "Chak Chel, the key that is beyond the look."

Automatically, her head turned to the plain in front of her. Below, she saw a skull engraved on the rocks. That was it. It was the entrance to the fall.

The path by her side was run through. Reaching another cliff, she looked to her left side. Then she removed the two pickaxes from her belt. She jumped up and down. The metal tip pressed hard on the rocky wall. She climbed. Stopped. She turned and climbed a little further, stopping again. She pulled out the right pick and, leaning on the left pick, she leaned her body back. Swinging, she jumped to the wall on her right side. The rocks gave way, and she had to be quick to put the picks on the wall below, avoiding a fatal fall. Recovering from her fright, she climbed the wall again. A little more and she stopped. On her belt, she reached the climbing hook to secure the wall. The pickaxe on her left paw was the support for the right paw to put the rope wrapped around the hook. The weight of her body, though not much, already left her left arm tired, she ignored it and continued to put the rope on. After a few minutes, she succeeded and removed the pickaxe from the wall. Putting the object on her belt again, she began to descend on the rope. When her feet sat on the floor, she grabbed the rope with both paws and pulled it, releasing the hook from the wall. She picked it up, removed the rope, wrapped it around in her belt and the hook in her trouser pocket. She looked straight ahead. The passage was small, but she could get through without any effort. Judy turned on the little light she had stuck in her top and went inside.

The darkness welcomed her. The humidity was the breeze. The smell of the sea was inviting. Bats passed through her when the light lit up the wall where they were. After that small tunnel, she found herself in a dead-end cave. The water in front of her would be the passage to the other side. Since Judy glimpsed a small passage under the water. With vague steps, she entered the water. Taking a deep breath, she submerged and started swimming. The tunnel was tight, she had to handle the passage without getting hurt. She swam a little further and went through the tunnel to the other side.

Another cave, but this time luck smiled at her when she saw some stairs that would lead to the top floor. Looking around, she looked for a way out of the water. A small dirt road invited her to swim there. With her paws, she pulled her body.

_I need to hurry._

Running down the stairs, she climbed them. Upstairs, a stone path was the passage to another cliff. However, in front of her, the wall extended. The mural, which Trinity was looking for. Underneath it, there was something. Approaching a little closer, without falling to her death, she observed, trying to understand what it was. It seemed... A well?! Because of the cylindrical and well-ordered shape, she had no doubt that it was something she had to discover what it was.

Without further ado, on her left side, she ran down the narrow path, always taking care not to fall. Arriving at a dead end, her violet eyes looked for ways to pass to the other side. When, what looked like giant candlesticks, they showed themselves majestically in front of her, hanging by thick metal cables. Two, separated at mere meters, and that she would be able to jump from one to the other without difficulty, reaching the other side without problems. She jumped. The first chandelier squealed at her weight and shook, but there was no mention of falling. When the swing stopped, she positioned herself to swing and run, jumping to the other. He gave in to her weight and began to fall. Judy had to stay balanced, run and jump. Her chest hit the rocky walls, and her arms prevented a deadly fall. Behind her, the chandelier gave way completely and fell. Judy forced her strength into her arms to pull out her body. Her back went to the ground, catching her breath before she got up and climbed another path.

It took her a few minutes to reach another dead end. There, she would have to use the pickaxes, since the wall in front of her there was no way not to use them. A few steps back, with pickaxes on her paws, she ran, rocked her body and stuck the pointed metal into the wall. Soon, she began to climb on her right side. Carefully, she got where she wanted to go. Beneath her, was the wall and what looked like a well. Once again, she had to use the hook and rope to get down. When her feet reached the firm ground, she removed the hook and rope, tidying them up, and took the walkie-talkie. Nick must have been worried by now and she had to tell him that she was fine and that she had found out what Trinity was after.

"Nick..." she called him, with the device next to her lips. Her eyes looked at the images of the mural above her, studying them carefully.

On the other side, Nick's voice answered her.

"I was beginning to worry, Miss Hopps!" he mocked her a little. "For you to communicate with me, you found something.”

"The mural."

"The mural?”

"Yes. I think that's what Andre and Dominguez have been after for so many years."

"And you come along and find that out in a flash." He laughed. "What does the mural say?"

"Images... no descriptions." she half-closed her eyes, checking the images carefully.

"And, what do these images say?”

"Um...it looks like a box?!" Judy strayed. Underneath one of the images, a description. "There's something written here," she said to Nick as she deciphered what was written there. "It's about the box. It says _Ix Chel's silver box_." Silence fell over the place, while Judy was confused. Supposedly, the mural was to discover the dagger. However, the description was about a box. What had escaped her?

"Carrots, it seems Trinity is not after the dagger."

"Andre made it clear that he wanted it." Judy didn't doubt it.

"Do you think the dagger was a distraction?" Nick said and he was also confusing.

It could be, but Judy knew Andre didn't have it yet. Moreover, her father had made it clear in his diary that the dagger was an important object. For what? It was not yet certain. But the silver box. The box that was mentioned in the mural. Would it have anything to do with the dagger?

"See what the mural says about the box," Nick asked, sighing. When they thought it was all being put back together, there was always something in the way.

Judy held her attention back on the mural. The images didn't refer to the dagger, but she had the feeling the artifact would be there. As for the box...

"After all, what you find in the lost city is the silver box. According to the myth of the Maya, the box will bring back the God Kukultan."

"Why bring the God of creation? What does Trinity want with that?" Nick said again.

"It looks like... Wait!" silence again. Then Judy took her paws to her snout. "Nick, I know what Andre is after. The dagger is an important artifact, but this box is the main one."

"English, Carrots!”

"The drawings show a series of cataclysms. A tsunami... A storm... An earthquake and... Volcanic eruption?!"

"Isn't that a lot for the God of creation?"

"Well, in the Maya myth, Kukultan is the God of creation, but also of destruction."

Turning her back on the mural, Judy decided to put her attention on what looked like a well when she got there. Checking the stone in front of her, there were two circles. One bigger and one smaller. In them, drawings and engravings.

"Nick, the mural serves to describe the box. If what the images say is true, the box can be a danger to humanity."

"And, the dagger?" he asked.

"I found something that can tell us where that is. Two circles. In them, engravings. The engravings represent the constellation of Hydra. But the stars seem misaligned." Judy put her paws in the circle.

With force, she turned the first circle from left to right. Then she aligned the small circle from right to left. When the images came together, the circles began to move on their own and opened. From inside, the dagger came out.

"Nick, after all, the dagger was not in the lost city. The artifact..." a very close explosion made Judy unbalance herself and cling to the stone in front of her.

"You'd better hurry. Grab the dagger and get out of there. Trinity has arrived! Meet me downtown."

Judy put the walkie-talkie back in her belt. Then, she looked at the dagger. The fist was a small white marble serpent. From his open mouth, the blade was made of pure, thin steel. The snake's tongue was wrapped around it. Below it, a description.

_The key to Ix Chel's heart, to unlock... Cleansing?!_

Another explosion and the cave began to give way. Small stones began to fill the ground that also succumbed to the wreckage. Judy looked once again at the dagger and removed it. When she did, the floor broke, opening large cracks.

Without further ado, she kept the dagger and began to run.

_What did I do?_

**_To be continued…_ **


	6. Shadows 06

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Sayra here at last!
> 
> I want to apologize for my lack of activity in my stories. My work takes up too much time. I'm supposed to work 8 hours a day, but that's not so. When I get home, I have my things to do, and since I live alone when I finish things are almost bedtime. All this accumulates my lack of time to write. However, I will try to update my creations on my days off, but I can't always do it. 
> 
> In the meantime, I've had this chapter done for over two weeks. It remained to be translated and posted. 
> 
> My other stories that are still being written, I haven't forgotten them, and I keep writing them. I will post all the chapters of The ZPD Christmas Dinner story at once. I've already got those chapters done, but the end still not finishes. I hope it doesn't take too long. 
> 
> Well, I won't be too long. I hope you like this chapter. 
> 
> Kisses 
> 
> ***

The tomb was quickly beginning to crumble. Judy had to deviate several times from the now large stones that fell, as she ran. One of them, hit the already injured shoulder, making the poor rabbit squeal in pain. But she didn't stop running. A few more steps and she came out of the tomb safe and sound. Behind her, a big hole was left.

Recovering her breath, she got up. She was on her way to the city to meet Nick when a blow to her back caused her to get off balance, fall to her knees and the dagger to be thrown in front of her. A black shoe was put on the dagger, avoiding the artifact to go any further. Then, a paw and a laugh.

"Well done, Judith Hopps!"

Judy bowed her eyebrows, furious. Meanwhile, her paws had been pulled behind her back by one of Trinity's guards.

"Andre!" she said between her teeth.

"You saved us a lot of trouble. Thank you!" the dagger spun on his paws. His blue eyes evaluated the artifact, fascinated. "With the box, I will have the power to change the world!"

"Power? What are you talking about?"

"You're cunning, but you lack intelligence in certain details." He laughed. "Don't tell me you didn't feel the power of this wonderful object when you took it out?"

"I don't understand the..." that's when Judy integrated.

Trinity only made two explosions. The third was because she took the dagger out. Was it really?

"With this and the box, I will be the creator of the world. And... _in my own way_!"

Suddenly, screaming. Andre started laughing.

"The city. What's going on?"

"The dagger started doing its job, Judy. And you, you were the one to blame for getting this out!"

Shock. That's how she felt at that moment. That was just a myth. The mural was a legend. The dagger, a simple object. She knew 'magic' could exist in ancient artifacts. But she never thought she would see such a thing. No, it couldn't be true. The dagger could not have triggered such a monstrosity. Then, the sound of water was heard.

"'Let's go, boys. The helicopter's waiting for us. We don't want to get caught in the tsunami."

Leaving Judy completely behind, they ran. Meanwhile, the rabbit, still in shock, got up and ran on her way out of there, but she was then abruptly interrupted by the destruction in front of her. It was true. She had unleashed the tsunami when she drew the dagger.

A crack. Screaming. And the loud noise of waves. Judy turned around and knew she didn't have time to run. The tidal wave caught her, making her roll around aimlessly through the wreckage. By force, her paws could grab a pole. Then she stuck her head out, giving her lungs air. She coughed and looked enveloped. She had to go to the ground as soon as possible. She had to reach a high point. She had... NICK! Oh, no... NICK!

Judy knew he was downtown. Her concern was interrupted when the post she was holding, broke and she was sent back in a whirl. She managed to reach the surface, breathing in the fresh air. However, she didn't have time to think long. The strong current began to drag her through the debris. She tried to get as far away from pointy things as she could, but her luck wasn't for long, when something in a beak rubbed against her belly, ripping off her top and making a big cut. Judy didn't have time to feel the pain when she went underwater again, and now with no chance of reaching the surface. When her body stabilized, she looked around. She'd be inside a house or workshop. In which, a window would be her salvation. She swam there, leaving a trail of blood. She reached for the window and slammed her fists into the glass. This one didn't break. Once again, she hit it without success. That was when she remembered the pick. She pulled it out of her belt and with the tip, she hit the glass. The windows broke and she passed, swimming.

A small hole made her catch her breath. Recuperated the air, she emerged again in the water and moved on through the debris. One more obstacle in front of her, where the pick did the honors and, finally, she was free. Her lungs thanked the air and her body for the comfort of a large piece of wood. She was out of the water, but not from danger. In front of her, a monument collapsed, making Judy get up and run through the rubble. Jumping up and landing on a bus. There, she saw her chance to stay out of danger for good. In front of her, the Church. More by her side, the shallow concrete roof. Taking a deep breath and ignoring the pain in her abdomen, she ran. She jumped onto a piece of stone and began to climb the wall. Higher up, she walked sideways where she would reach the cement floor. But in the middle of the way, the image in front of her shocked her. One of the kits she had seen when she was walking into the café hours before, was hanging from a loose pole. The desperate screams for his mother caused Judy's heart to die and her voice cried out for the little one to be quiet that she would help him. But talking is easy when the terror situation is experienced. The post gave in to the little one's movements and he fell to his death.

"NO!"

Judy screamed and the tears filled her eyes. She had seen everything but a child dying before her eyes were hell.

The wall collapsed, giving the indication that she had to continue. Trying to remove the memory of the event, she deviated from the breaking wall. A few meters further on and her paws reached the cement floor. Pushing hard, she pulled her body up, letting her back find rest on the ground. Her chest filled and emptied with strength. Soon, a noise on her right side caught her eye. She saw some mammals and, among them, Nick.

Turning her body over, she stood up at the same time she started screaming for her friend's name.

He didn't hear her right way, being entertained to help the injured mammals.

"NICK!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Then he heard and looked in the direction of his name's call. She got up and they both ran towards each other. They hugged.

"I was worried!" He said, breaking the hug, but leaving his paws on his friend's shoulders.

"I failed, Nick!" she said with her violet eyes looking away. She couldn't face him.

"What do you mean?"

"Andre. He and his guards caught me outside the tomb."

"And…"

"He has the dagger. Dominguez and Andre have the artifact."

"We'll get it back. But first, we have to get these mammals safe."

Nick took his paws off her shoulder and started walking in the direction he'd initially come from. When his walk was interrupted by two paws on his left paw.

"Nick, you don't understand." Judy looked desperate. "Andre's after the silver box. He and Dominguez are up to something. We need to go after them and fast."

"We will, but first we have..."

"No... no... We must go now. After all, we've been through, I gave Trinity exactly what they wanted." This time, the rabbit's voice was exalted. "He'll use the dagger and the box to change the world!" she let him go.

"To change what?" he stared at her.

"I... I don't know! He... he thinks... that he can change sin and failure. A mammal like that... We... We... We must stop him, Nick! This..." she gestured to the wreckage of the city. "This is my fault!"

"We'll figure it out, OK? I... I promise." Nick tried to calm her down and turned his back to go help the others. Once again, Judy interrupted him, screaming.

"No...no...no! We have to go to the hidden city before Trinity." She repeated the same words, making him see that it was a priority. "We have to find the silver box."

"All right, Judy. But first, we have to help these mammals." Once again, he tried to reassure her by facing her.

"No!" Judy was excited. She wasn't usually a bad female. Always willing to help others first. But all this, she knew it would cost more lives than it had ever cost. "No one is safe. Not if he gets the box first. I must go. I must...

"You're the only one who can what?" This time it was Nick who got carried away. Furious, he was gesturing as he spoke. Without ever averting his eyes from hers. "You're not sure you caused all this, Judy! Not everything is about you! These mammals need us here right now. We can do good and NOW!" Judy bit her lower lip. He was right. She was being unfair. Taking a deep breath, Nick calmed down and spoke calmly. "Meanwhile, what do we have to do? The Riddle? We'll need more than a pink fish and the silver mountains to get to the hidden city. I'll help these mammals just like you. And then I'll find us a plane."

With this, this time he really went to the mammals to help them. Judy closed her fists hard and took a deep breath. In so many years, they had to argue now. However, he was right. Those Mammals were a priority. Besides, she felt she could get to the silver box first than Andre and Dominguez. Devastated, she looked at the devastation in front of her. The tsunami had passed, but the flood, the lost lives, and the wreckage left a deep sadness in the heart of the poor rabbit.

**_To be continued…_ **


	7. Shadows 07

"I said, I'm sorry."

The silence was what accompanied them during part of their journey. Nick had managed to convince one of the mammals when he was helping the tsunami victims, getting them a helicopter and a mammal willing to take them to Peru. More like to the big Amazonian forest.

"Always willing to help others in the first place, your obsession with this dagger and box led to corrupting your humility before humanity," Nick spoke by not taking his eyes off the little round window on his right.

"I wasn't the right one, it's true. I should have thought about the mammals first, but the reality is different." Judy sighed and stared at the fox. "Nick, if Dominguez and Andre put their paws on the dagger and the box, the mammal kind will be lost."

"There is no magic, Carrots."

"We live in a world where the impossible becomes possible, Nick. You can't say it's a coincidence that after I removed the dagger from his place, the tsunami occurred. Where there would be no reason for such an event." Judy was confronted with a considerable sense of guilt. For removing the dagger, she killed thousands of mammals.

"Let's not jump to conclusions, Judy. I won't blame you for something that nature did."

"You don't understand." Judy got back in her chair, crossing her arms. Her violet eyes met the landscape through the window on her left. "There's black magic. There is something evil. And, Andre wants it just for him." She murmured the words to herself, but Nick could hear what she said.

It wasn't impossible to believe, and Nick knew it. Several times, in previous expeditions, they had been confronted with things they couldn't even imagine. But this time everything was different. Everything was happening too fast.

The silence fell on them again. Judy decided to take out her little diary in her backpack and started scribbling something. At the same time, Nick just put his headphones in his ears and turned on the IPaw in his favorite song while he looked through the circular window at the landscape outside.

The minutes made way for hours. During that time, the light blue sky began to darken. The rain started to fall lightly, giving way to hailstones. The calm wind began to howl violently. Such events did not pass unnoticed to them as to the pilot. The wolf, who was directing the Helicopter, was having trouble keeping the device straight.

_We will have problems._

Judy collected the diary in her backpack and released the belt that held her. Then, she approached the pilot.

"Miguel, keep the Helicopter right."

"I'm trying!"

And it was true. But the wind had suddenly changed direction, and the Helicopter went off course. At that moment, Judy was thrown with her back against the chair. Miguel altered the course, trying to fight the wind. But such a gesture only made the Helicopter more out of control.

Nick, meanwhile, was trying in a desperate attempt to remove his belt, but he was stuck. Judy had regained her posture and returned to meet the pilot. The Helicopter's controls seemed to be stuck. Miguel was struggling to unlock them. The rabbit realized the situation and threw her paws to help him. But what happened next was like a movie.

Inert ears, she heard something coming in their direction. A big hailstorm hit the Helicopter's front window. Such was the shape of the crash that it broke and hit Miguel, causing the poor wolf to lose his senses. Judy clung to the control. When her paws touched the steering wheel, the thing... broke.

_Oh, gods..._

Suddenly, a not very pleasant noise filled the place. The noise of something cracking. Judy turned her head back, and what she saw made her heart stop beating. The tail of the Helicopter ripped in half. With the tail, Nick went along. With the rip, the front of the Helicopter gave way and began to lose altitude. And within seconds, everything went dark.

__***__

The vision was blurred. An agonizing pain ran through her head. Aside from that pain, her whole body hurt. When the vision became clearer, Judy got a big scare. She thanked God for being alive. However, she could die in the fall in front of her.

 _How many feet off the ground am I?_ Her mind pondered, as her eyes watched the ground from almost twenty meters high.

Then, she watched her surroundings. As she had done, she could not remember. After the Helicopter broke in half, she only had time to close her eyes and know that death awaited her. However, she had been spared. Her body was wrapped in the belt of one of the chairs, thus avoiding a fall to death, keeping it suspended.

_And now?_

It wouldn't be easy to loosen the belt. The leather was well wrapped around her waist. So much so, a little pain ran through her body, and Judy noticed that her blue top was stained with blood. But that wasn't just the only wound. Judging with her purple eyes all over her body, her arms were cut. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, her options were limited. She knew she could get out of there safely. Her training and skill would do her good. But her injuries would have to be stagnant. Only there was a problem. All her stuff had gone along with the tail of the Helicopter.

_Oh, by gods. Nick..._

The image of the friend going along in the fall, came to her memory. Tears invaded her eyes. Nick was strong; she knew it. But in that situation, he...

_Oh, no... no... Judy! He survived. He's fine. You need to get out of here and go find him._

Hope is the last to die. In her wounded heart, a drop of light that her friend was alive somewhere in the woods, wouldn't go away so fast.

The little dagger she had on her belt; it wasn't hard to remove. Wielding her right arm, with her paw, she managed to grab the dagger.

_Cut the belt but hold it in the process._

Easy thinking and she could do it. So, she started cutting the belt.

__***__

Nick wasn't doing so well. Death had been delayed, but the consequences became visible. Sitting on a rock somewhere in the Amazon forest, his emerald green eyes observed the magnificent scenery around him. In front of him, the silver mountain. Underneath, a few feet high, a clear, serene lake.

_At least we would have a swim to get there._

Ironically, he can't help but smile. He had survived. So, he had to thank God for his second chance. But his expression became bitter and sad. Judy, had she survived? Of course, in his mind, the thought was positive. Cunning, agile, and always with luck on her side, it wasn't the first time the rabbit had been in danger. But this time, the situation was completely different.

In a long sigh, he assessed his condition. He had a wound from his elbow to his fist. It wasn't deep, so the emergency kit was a great help in isolating the wounded for a moment. His ankle had been injured but saved from a fracture. Nothing that a stick would help to walk, so the swelling would calm down.

_Judy, please be well._

**_To be continued…_ **


	8. Shadows 08

It felt like heaven. The leaves of the trees were shaking quietly. The sun's rays were pouring through the tree leaf openings, giving a breathtaking scenery.

The fall had not been fatal. But it didn't spare her from hurting her back. Lying on a cloak of leaves, she stayed like this until she got her breath back, and the pain calmed down a little. Also, the wound on her abdomen began to bleed even more.

_I need to get something to stop the bleeding._

Looking around, there wasn't any clothing available that would help. Then, she remembered the belt would be a big help until she found Nick and her stuff since he was the one her belongings had gone with. Rising with caution, she went towards the wreckage. The belt she had cut was on the ground. Crouching down, she grabbed him and wrapped him around her waist. When she squeezed it, tears came to her eyes. Although she hadn't tightened it too much to breathe, she had to have some tightening to prevent the blood from flowing any further. Ready, she strayed from the wreckage of the helicopter and began her search for Nick in the middle of a dense forest with no right path.

**_***_**

The cathedral was the biggest in the city of Peru. Sitting on a chair, on his paw, a glass of whiskey hung over his fingers. The other paw free had a half-smoked cigarette and supported his head on his crossed legs, a diary. On the table next to him, the dagger.

"All we need is the box, and it's all sorted."

Over and over, Dr. Dominguez sighed in frustration. At the table in front of him, an extended map displayed red markings in critical places where the box might be.

"Caution, my friend. Stress does not help focus."

"It's been two days since we've been here, and it's been two days since any search is conclusive."

"Wait a little longer. We'll soon have the box on our paws."

Dominguez faced the fox.

"Do you want to explain to me how?" His nervousness was seen in his restless movements as he spoke.

"Give it time. You'll find the box as soon as you can."

Andre had some of the whiskey. Then, closing the diary, he got up. Passing the wolf, he put a paw on the mammal's shoulder.

"The rabbit will be an important clue. Her partner, the enemy to eliminate."

Then, deviating, he left the office, closing the door behind him. Dominguez, confused, stared at the emptiness of the office.

**_***_**

How long had she been in the forest? Judy knew she was in the center, but there was no concrete end. The tall trees gave her shelter. The sound of birds gave peace to her inner fears. But there was a constant noise that had already startled her as she walked through the forest. Judy knew the impossible was possible, and although there were no reports of it, strange things could happen. The noise from time to time was nothing more than a deep roar mixed with the magnificent sounds of nature. But in that roar, there was something different. And, Judy being capable of a sensitive hearing, she could tell that very well.  
  


On the other hand, Nick didn't know what to do precisely. Confined to a place where the descent would be deadly, she decided to search the scattered junk in every corner. Judy's bow was in one of the boxes near him. The ammunition and his gun, in the backpack, a little further away. The first-aid kit next to him, and that's it. Although they didn't bring much, there was a backpack missing where there was food. Nick had got up and packed the first aid kit in the bag that contained his gun and some ammunition. Closing the backpack, he checked the locks on the outside. Two flashlights and walkie-talkies too, and two empty bottles. But that's it. Closing the locks, he took the backpack and put it in one shoulder. On the other shoulder, he put the bow and the bag with the arrows. Then, he grabbed a stick thick enough to hold his weight and decided to walk a small path he had seen. He was entering thus through the densest forest.

It was not her imagination, although physical fatigue began to take hold of her body. The lack of water was also a problem. Her mouth was dry, and her body's reserves were running out. And to help, even more, there was no lake or river in sight. Yet, she knew it was not her imagination. The roar that had been with her for some time seemed closer and closer. Of that, she was sure.

Moreover, the chirping of the birds had stopped for some time. Was it fear? Birds are sensitive, and when they stopped singing, there was something to fear. So, the silence of the forest increased the forgotten fear of the rabbit. To help, the branches of the trees on the ground, familiar to her passage, were broken at every step. And Judy knew she didn't do it.

_I wonder if Andre's mammals are around here._

It would be a good chance since she and Nick had learned he'd landed there two days earlier. But the persistent roar made her doubtful. Trying to focus on not losing her already blurred vision, the lack of water, and the enormous tiredness in her body, she forced her legs to walk the usual muddy path under her boots until her walk was suddenly interrupted.

**_***_**

After all, the road wasn't high. What looked like a vast descent, was at least a few meters until Nick found the lake he had seen from the top of the small mountain. Taking advantage of the clear water, he removed the backpack and the bow, as well as the bag with the arrows, from his back and put them on the ground. Then, squatting down in front of the backpack, he opened it and took out the two little bottles. Removing the lid of these, he approached the lake and filled them. One he closed soon, the other he drank almost all the water, refilling it and closing it again.

Staying on his knees for a while, he contemplated the landscape around him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

_I hope you're all right, Judy!_

Suddenly a strange sound alerted him. Turning his head to where he had heard the noise behind him, he noticed that the bushes had stirred. Without panicking, he got up at cost, but the bottles back in his backpack and took his things. The bow didn't go to his back. Nick pulled out an arrow and positioned it ready to be shot. His ears were moving at small angles, trying to hear as little noise as possible. Although he wasn't gifted with a significant hearing like Judy, he had something in his favor. The night vision. Although it was still daytime, Nick could activate his vision whenever he wanted, and at that moment, he did. However, when he saw what was behind the bush, if death had not come for him before, maybe there, and now he had to act quickly.

**_***_**

Judy thanked God again for her stomach is completely empty. But still, the feeling of vomiting overwhelmed her. Blood. There was a blood trail. She was forced to cover her nose. The smell was terrible. With each step, a chill went up to her spine. Nowhere to turn, her boots would step on the muddy ground covered with blood. Besides, there was the rest of... Judy only had time to swerve and throw up what she didn't have in her stomach. The killings hadn't bothered her for a long time, but seeing mammalian limbs scattered, that was news. So, her stomach couldn't take it.

_What monstrosity did this?_

When she recovered, her stomach still showed signs of not having thrown everything out. However, she pushed herself not to vomit and to keep walking. Again, the roar. This time, closer.

Judy stopped and grabbed her ears. All her senses of alert were put to the test. She looked in all directions but saw nothing.

Again, the roar. This time Judy was looking for something to defend herself with. Although she was agile running, in that mud and blood, her attempts to escape would go wrong. Luckily, next to her were several small trunks. It wouldn't be much help, but at least she wouldn't be so helpless.

**_To be continued…_ **


	9. Shadows 09

There was no escape. She was trapped. Her back was caressing the sharp stones on the wall. Luckily, her abdomen hadn't bled since she wrapped the belt around her waist. However, it was now her back that had suffered the fierce attack, leaving a visible trace from her right shoulder to the middle of her spine, of three bloody lines. Her breathing was accelerated from running back and forth. Her feet gave way, falling into a clearing with no escape. And the small trunk that would have been her defensive weapon had long since been broken in half.

How had she gotten into that situation? It all happened so fast that Judy didn't have time to think. She acted on her adrenaline and ended up with no viable options.

Moments before, her attack position was visible in her body. Her ears were running back and forth, looking for the place the owner of that roar would attack. Yes, after listening for a long time, Judy realized that she was not alone and that this was no ordinary mammal. So, several options came to her mind without having time to break her attention. Closer was the roar. The trunk stretched out in front of her, was ready to attack.

 _Run, Judy, run_. Her mind asked, but her legs did not obey. She was paralyzed by shock and fear of the unknown.

Something jumped over her, hiding around the bushes to her left. Judy had no time to see what it was. She turned her body to the side, where she heard the noise. However, a terrifying fear swept over her entire body. Her throat became dry, and her paws trembled uncontrollably. Two intense red eyes looked at her through the bushes. After a few seconds of watching his prey, a snout full of teeth were showing through the bushes. Two thick paws denounced deep claws sticking into the mud. Judy was petrified. She'd never seen such creature before. If it was a laboratory experiment that went wrong, it would be the justification. But the idea of such a thing came out of her head when the creature came out of the bushes completely. It wasn't laboratory creation; it was the creation of the…devil.

It must have been more than two meters tall, but no bigger than a giraffe or an elephant, but bigger than feline predators. The muzzle was long. The rows of teeth were huge. The canines were larger than normal. His legs were thick, abnormal, and the claws big enough to kill a giraffe. The body was similar to a panther but bigger. The fur was kept in a snow-white color. The tail was like a... She didn't even know which mammal to compare it to, but she knew it wasn't a normal tail. The drool fell, leaving big puddles. But when it hit the ground, it came out... steam?

Whether it was the devil's creation or not, those pure red eyes and claws sticking to the ground indicated that Judy would be attacked, and the little stick on her paws would have no effect. So, she ran with all her agility. But it wasn't enough. The creature was huge, and so were her footsteps. Judy had to dodge the onslaughts as she could. The mud gave her advantage at one point and disadvantage at another. Slippery, it kept keeping her balance and not fall. If she fell, it would be her death. But her luck was short-lived. For one onslaught of the creature, and her back gained three ugly scars. The pain was immense, breaking the rabbit's strength, causing her to fall uncontrollably, into a deadly clearing.

**_***_**

Nick couldn't believe what his eyes reflected. As soon as what was behind the bushes came out, the arrow was shot, hitting the thing in front of him. But without any effect. Without delay, the fox pulled out another arrow and fired. Also, with no effect. But those attacks only made the creature even angrier. There was no need to think twice. Nick ran. Where to? Even he had no idea. All he knew was that he had to escape this way. One bite of that creature, it was instantaneous death. In fact, all it took was a simple lift from his paw to kill him.

His legs ran as far as they could. It wasn't a simple path. On the contrary, twice, he tripped and fell. His backpack and arrows had to be picked up in a hurry, running again. The trees were his torment. More and more, the path was completely full of them, and to deviate; his arms were getting scratches. His breathless breathing had no way of being recovered. His strength was lacking, and he knew that he had to stop for a while. But where and how? Looking back, he noticed that the creature was a good few feet away. Although her footsteps were large and could reach him quickly, the trees, branches, and trunks helped to keep her away. At least a few meters away. Nick took that opportunity to stop. Hiding behind one of the many trees there, his tail hit the ground. His chest filled and emptied with strength.

_Think, Nick, think!_

The forest would be a good hiding place, but not for long. He had to get that creature down, no matter what. The arrow in his heart didn't work. One wasn't enough. Maybe the gun? A shot would certainly kill it. But the doubt pondered. Putting the bow on his shoulder, he took the gun out of his backpack. Loading it and checking it was ready to be fired, he got up. He kept his back by the big tree trunk and peeped. The creature was no longer running. Now, she just sniffed both the ground and the air. And Nick knew it was only seconds before that creature could smell his blood.

**_***_**

The fall did nothing to help her injuries. As soon as her body hit the hard ground, the difficulty in getting up was immense. However, along with her, the creature jumped. In attacking position, the creature kept its deep red eyes steady on the rabbit. Judy, in turn, was petrified. The creature could have killed her by now, but the monster decided to play with his prey for a few more good moments. So much so, Judy was thrown twice against the rocky walls of the clearing. The second time, the pain was so great that her body collapsed, and the adrenaline was not enough to make her lift a third time and start running. However, in such bad luck, the luck smiled at her. In the second onslaught of the creature on the rabbit, Judy, having been thrown into one of the so many rocky walls shrouded in the clearing, fell on some trunks. Once broken, they could influence her escape. Or at least try.

The creature roared. Her muzzle was just inches from Judy's muzzle. The creature sniffed. Judy turned her head. The creature began to open her muzzle while it growled, showing the thick, sharp teeth. Judy stood still, but her right paw was looking for one of the sticks, which she managed to grab quickly. The creature prepared to attack, but Judy was faster. In one and the other, Judy managed to pierce the creature's eyes. Such an act made the animal roar with pain and move away. Bewildered by losing the sight, Judy took advantage of the situation and stuck the stick in the animal's chest. She forced her way in, and blood gushed out. One more winch and the animal fell lifeless on the ground.

**_***_**

Taking a deep breath, Nick closed his eyes. The gun was in front of his snout.

_You're going to make it. I know you will, Wilde!_

Taking another deep breath, he turned away from the tree and pointed the gun in front of the creature.

"HEY!" he shouted, and the creature stared at him.

The animal roared and prepared to run towards the fox. A shot was fired in the chest of the creature. She staggered a little but managed to balance herself again, running back to attack him. Nick fired twice more. One of the bullets hit the chest again. The other went into one of the creature's eyes, and the animal roar in pain. Nick fired one last time, thus ending the creature. The animal's body fell to the ground. He sighed with relief and now kept his gun in his belt. Then, he approached the creature.

_Who was the monstrosity that created such a thing?_

Yes, the animal had many similarities to a panther, although the fur was altered, as were the size and the remaining physiognomy. But Nick knew it was a once healthy mammal.

**_***_**

Judy was sitting on the floor by one of the trees. Her eyes appreciated the light that dared to pass through the leaves. She took a deep breath repeatedly. She would have to find Nick. She would have to take care of her wounds, and he should have the first-aid kit.

How? Where? And how long before she finds Nick?

**_To be continued…_ **


	10. Shadows 10

_This is not the end yet! I must find Nick first and then find Andre and Dr. Dominguez._

Out of the question, the box goes to those paws. If it were, it would be the end of all mammals on the face of the earth. Judy sighed deeply. How would they find them? There was no idea.

Closing her eyes and taking another deep breath, Judy tried to get up. Such a gesture made her tears cover her eyes. Despite the small wounds, her back was the worst, besides her abdomen. She would have to find Nick and then the things that came with them in the helicopter. She needed her bow and her gun. But she needed the first aid kit more.

* * *

The cigarette was lit. The glass with liquor was taken to his lips.

"We need to get back to the Amazon!" Dr. Dominguez said, in a dry tone.

"There's nothing there." Andre savored the cigarette.

"Not here either. We're missing something." Dominguez started walking around, thoughtful.

It is okay that the idea of coming to Peru was not in vain. In one of the excavations, a very old map was found. In it, constellations. Constellations, those, that nobody from there knew how to decipher.

"We need the archaeologist," said Dominguez,

"Don't tell me nobody else can decipher this damn map?" Andre spoke in a calm tone.

"No, my friend. We've turned to all the big names in this area and nobody, not even astrologers, can decipher that crap. We need it."

"If she's still alive." Andre took a puff on the cigarette relaxed. Not that he thought Judy was dead, but he didn't know where she was.

"She won't die so easily. We need to find her whereabouts. This map takes us to the lost city in the middle of the Amazon. There, we know for sure where the box will be." Then he turned to one of his companions and asked them to start looking for the archaeologist and her partner. "Be brief. Don't kill them. We need them alive."

* * *

Climbing the clearing was not easy. At every step, it was agony. Once out of there, she breathed with relief and continued her way. The giant leaves were deflected. The muddy earth path made her steps difficult. Her vision was beginning to blur. She needed to rest, but if she leaned somewhere there, it was her certain death.

_I need to find Nick!_

* * *

Sitting on one of the many rocks there, the backpack that had been on his back until then was put on the ground in front of him. He leaned over this one and opened its clasp. Inside, he went through the junk. The water bottles he had previously, was filled. Papers, a lighter, a small black bag with documents and some keys. That backpack was not theirs but from the poor Miguel. So, nothing very useful. He sighed. He needed a located rocket. Maybe then Judy would see him and follow his trail. Nick stood up in an effort, leaving the backpack behind, heading towards the broken tail of the helicopter. He had already searched what had come with them, but not in such detail. The thirst became unbearable, so it was the first thing he looked for. The smell of the water was very present in the air and it wasn't difficult for Nick to follow it and find the lake. But he didn't foresee the appearance of the creature. Kneeling on the ground, he searched. Namely, everything was more the load that was needed in the helicopter. Some big bags with tools. Another backpack with nothing else.

_If only I had fallen with the main part of the helicopter?_

There were the most important things was. Shaking his head, he looked again. When his search smiled at him. A big metal bag was well known to him. Nick stretched his arms and pulled them towards him. He unlocked the cracks and smiled. The bow, the arrows, and the gun like Judy's dagger.

_Excellent!_

He took the bow and put it between his chest and back. The bag with the arrows was placed on his right shoulder. The gun in the belt and dagger next to the bag by the boots. He closed the bag and walked away. Now he needed a flare. It was a dangerous activity since it would denounce where he was. But he needed to know about Judy, and he was already protected anyway.

* * *

The path was infinite. If she was the one who took time to walk, it was already something else. For there was no end of tall leaves. Judy fell to her knees on the ground and tried to recover her strength. She was exhausted. She felt that at any moment she would fall to the side and would no longer open her eyes.

_A miracle would be welcome._

She spoke in thought, sighing once more. She had already been hurt, but not as bad as this time. It was then that the universe heard her request. One sound and something burst in the sky. Judy stood up and turned the leaves at her side. It was a signaling rocket. It was close by. Someone was lost there. She didn't think twice. She asked her body for its last strength again and ran what she could. She didn't ponder if they could be any of Trinity's mammals. In her mind came the image of Nick. The last hope filled her heart and her last forces, making her walk the fastest way and reach the peak of this one without leaves and with an open vision for the landscape. She turned her attention to where the sign had come from. Beside her, a mountain with a waterfall. Besides, there was a clearing where the smoke was visible from the rocket launch. Then, she turned her attention to the front. She had to jump to the other side, go down the trail with the trunks, jump again and give it to the other side. Not difficult, if not in the state she was in.

_You can do it, Judith Hoops. You can do it._ And, taking a deep breath, she jumped.

She didn't fall. She went around, she ran, she jumped again, and she reached the other side. Then, her body gave way and she fell helplessly into the solid sand. She stayed for a few seconds to catch her breath and got up. When she did, she roared with pain. Blood dripped into the sand. The wound in her abdomen had gotten worse.

_Just a little more. Just a little more._

Squatting, the right arm was pressing on the wound. Dragging her feet, she kept going forward. If she hadn't been mistaken, she would have been near where the rocket had been launched. She walked and walked, ignoring her body's lamentations of pain. She climbed the path. Then she stopped. The wall in front of her was high. She had to climb it. So, she did. She fell on her back. She was close. She took a deep breath and turned to her left side, leaning her paw on the ground to help her body get up. However, fate finally smiled at her. As soon as she turned around, the tears automatically came to her eyes. In front of her, the mammal she had so much hoped to see. She smiled and finally succumbed to her wounds. She knows that she was safe. She knew she would survive.

_To be continued…_


	11. Shadows 11

When his eyes saw the figure of Judy, the momentary brightness gave rise to a look of shock. She smiled at him when she saw him, but soon her eyes closed and fell to the ground. Nick didn't wait twice and ran to her help.

"Judy!"

He called, kneeling and taking the immobile body of the rabbit, found that she was seriously injured, but still breathing.

"Hold on, Carrot. I'll take care of you."

* * *

Picked her up, Nick got up and went back to the clearing where he'd been before.

"Do you need all that apparatus?"

Furious, Dominguez scratched the back of his head. The task was simple. Mount the surveillance equipment over the highest mountains in Peru, thus giving sight to most of the Amazon forest, the Inca temple, and the Kuwaq Yaku city. What was not in the plans, was the explosion near the Inca temple.

"One of the fuses blew for no apparent reason," said one of his pals after receiving the message through the walkie-talkie.

"Warn those imbeciles to be careful. The Inca temple is precious. We need it in one piece, not in pieces."

"Relax."

Andre's voice sounded fun behind him. The fox stretched out his arm in front of the wolf's snout. In his paw, a glass with an orange liquid.

"Thank you!" the wolf thanked him and took the glass, taking it to his lips and savoring the liquor. "When do those assholes do things right?"

"When you calm down." Andre sat on the chair beside him, crossing his legs and leaning against its back. "Any news from our friends?"

"Nothing. Nobody's seen them."

"She's cunning." Andre crossed his arms and stared at the clear sky. "Well, we'd better concentrate on finding the lost city before they do. We need the box as soon as possible."

"We're not sure that the box is there yet," Dominguez answered dryly.

"The doubt is not in my dictionary, my friend."

"As you wish." Dominguez drank the rest of the liquor.

Suddenly, another expulsion. It was the drop of water. The wolf threw the glass at the floor with force and went down the hill to his assistants while cursing the imbeciles who didn't know how to do their job properly.

* * *

Nick had finished cleaning Judy's wounds. Without a first-aid kit, he had to

guide with the herbs and plants he had around him. The fox was not her partner for nothing. Although he also studied archeology, Nick graduated in herbal and plant medicine. It would always be useful in their expeditions. The first aid kit was always present at all times, but without it at the moment, the herbs and plants were needed to help heal the wounds and stop the blood. Therefore, what would take a few hours, took the rest of the day and night. Being that, in the middle of the night already advanced, Nick had finished placing the improvised cloth bandages, which he had gone to wash in the lake, and then tucked the rabbit in the most comfortable way he could. Building a bed of trunks and leaves. When he noticed that Judy's breathing was normal and she was sleeping peacefully, it was when he could finally rest too.

Judy opened her eyes. The small light made her eyes blink. Then, she looked around, turning her head checking where she was. And she breathed with relief when she saw a familiar back on her right side. She smiled. After all, it hadn't been her imagination. Then, she tried to move. The pain hit her, but not from such a painful level. She removed the large leaves from the top and noticed that her wounds had been cleaned and were now connected with tissues. She smiled once more. Nick had helped her. She felt grateful that she had found him. Otherwise, she would have succumbed to her wounds. She stood up. Her legs shook, but they held out. She approached the fox and saw that he was sound asleep.

_ Thank you, Nick! _

Then, she walked away and checked the clearing. The debris from the helicopter was scattered around where they were. Some backpacks and boxes came with the back. It was then that Judy noticed her bow and arrows on the ground, next to the fire that had once been lit. Without delay, she approached and took them. She put the bow on her right shoulder and the bag with the arrows on the left.

_ We need food. _

Judy had noticed small birds and some rodents sneaking around the forest. For her, fruit and leaves were enough, but Nick needed meat. So, she decided to go hunting nearby.

* * *

Despite the beautiful sunny day, the wolf's mood was much worse than yesterday. There were two reasons for this.

The first was four unnecessary expulsions, one of which destroyed the main entrance to the Inca temple, causing the team to start removing the huge stones so they could pass. Second, not even the best in the area had found the rabbit and the fox. At that moment, Andre opened the wooden door.

"Good morning, Sunshine." he greeted his friend with irony. He entered and closed the door behind him.

"Only if it's for you."

Dominguez didn't even face him. His eyes were fixed on the various papers scattered around the stone table in front of him.

"Early in the morning in a good mood." Andre moved the chair away from the table and sat down. "You need a coffee."

"What I need is concrete information." A strong fist went towards the table. "We've been at this for months. We have the dagger, we have the right indications, but nothing from the hidden city" he took a deep breath. "Do you know how much money I've been investing in this shit?"

"Take it easy, mon ami. The pressures are not good."

"If it was your money I would want to see." Frustrated, the wolf got up and stood in front of the window, putting his paws on his waist. He took a deep breath. "That map is our best shot. And no one can decipher it. What imbecile specialists."

"Well, I agree with you on that one." Andre smiled and crossed his legs, leaning forward to the table. "But relieve that bad mood of yours. We have good news."

The wolf turned and faced him.

"I am all ears."

* * *

Nick woke up. He had slept like a rock. He might not have slept in a soft bed with scented sheets, but that makeshift bed had been a success for his good rest. Well, the tiredness of his body also helped. He sat down and stretched out. Taking care of Judy wasn't easy. But seeing that the rabbit had gotten better and the fever due to her injuries had gone down, gave him rest of peace of mind.

"Good morning, Sunshine."

The familiar voice sounded like a melody to his ears. Besides, a delicious smell awakened his sleeping stomach. Nick turned to his right side and saw Judy kneeling on a pot over the small fire. From there, the smoke was vibrating as she moved the spoon.

"I prepared our breakfast," she smiled at him.

Then Nick noticed two dead birds and a few more fruits and herbs next to her. Just like the bow and arrow.

"You don't tell me you went hunting." He was shocked.

"Yes," she answered as if it was nothing.

"Are you crazy?"

"I didn't make so much effort, don't worry."

"You were dying, and I had trouble getting your fever down and you took the bow and went hunting?" The tone of voice was calm, despite the anger that went up to his spine.

"Nick, I'm fine. I didn't make an effort or open any wounds. Besides, we need to eat," she answered, continuing to stir the broth in the pot.

Nick was going to protest but just took a deep breath. He sighed and stood up, approaching the pot, where he sat with his legs crossed. Judy just smiled.

_ To be continued… _


	12. Shadows 12

Patience always has a limit. Andre's was not easy to break. The years gave him the wisdom to appreciate the serenity of things as bad as they were. However, Dominguez managed to stir up some of his unlimited patience. The wolf had a certain reason, but he had to be calmer.

"Boss, you call me?"

Through the tent, an all-black leopard came in. He was still young, in his thirties. But his body already showed the scars of some of his more specific works. These works that Andre had a great appreciation. Marco, that was his name. A common name but feared by many.

"I need your services."

Andre leaned over the table, supporting his elbows, and crossing his fingers on each other, thus supporting his chin.

"Something special?" Marco asked. After all, his post there on the excavations was nothing more than a simple helper.

"You could say that" on Andre's lips, a sly smile.

Then the fox uncrossed his fingers and moved a little away from the table, making room to open the drawer on his right side. From there, he took two photos and threw them on the table. Marco approached and leaned a little to observe the mammals in the pictures.

"These are..."

"Judith Hoops and Nicholas Wilde," concluded Andre.

Marco took the two photos and observed them in detail.

"Find them and bring them to me. Don't kill them yet. I need the rabbit alive".

"And the other one?" Marco turned his attention to the fox.

"He'll come with her. As soon as she speaks, you can take him. Do what you want with him later." The smile on Andre's face opened even more. "And be brief. Dominguez begins to stir with my holy patience."

"Right!"

Marco kept the photos in his pocket, bowed, and left the tent.

_One less problem._

Andre sighed. Marco wouldn't let him down. He'd never done it before. And even though these two mammals were astute, surely the leopard would take the proper precautions to capture them.

* * *

"You know Kuwaq Yaku must be close!" said Judy, leaning over a small stone, shaking the dust from it.

"You've been repeating the same words for an hour." Nick rolled his eyes and took a deep breath.

Since they had left the clearing, their first "mission" would be to find the city of Kuwaq Yaku. There, they would try to find out more clues about the hidden city. That was the incentive of the two in the first moments. By the coordinates of the map that Judy had decorated, it would be enough to follow clues to eyes not visible. Such clues would be small, engraved figures. As the rabbit explained to Nick, saying that when there was no map and/or someone of the city was lost in the immense Amazon Forest, the symbols were the right way to the city. No mistakes. The problem until then were the symbols. Those, don’t appear anywhere.

"Damn. Neither does this one." Judy murmured to herself.

She got up, shook the dust off her pants, and kept going.

"Carrots, the power of the dagger?" Nick questioned. He knew that "knife" had something, but not concrete.

"Huh?"

"I ask when you removed the dagger. Carrots, don't you think it's just a normal knife? Like, a defense knife?"

"If it was, why would Trinity be so interested?"

Nick scratched the back of his head. He sighed. Trinity had no reason to chase a dagger if it wasn't important.

"What will a dagger do that's so important?"

"It has something to do with the box, I'm sure of it."

Judy swiped some giant leaves in front of her. The landscape of trees, muddy earth, and leaves had given way to a dead-end trail.

_Damn, now what?_

Judy sighed and put her hands on her waist looking in front of her. The broad trunks on the way prevented the passage to the other side.

"Is that the key to opening the box?"

"I don't know. But we will find out soon enough." Judy took a few more steps forward and assessed the situation in front of her. "Nick, I need your help."

The fox approached. Judy explained that those trunks would give passage to the other side. But they had to do it together. Side by side, they both took the trunk from underneath and, with strength, stood up a little, Judy passed first, and on the other side, she would do the same thing to give Nick passage. But they were not expecting what would come next.

* * *

No coffee. No alcohol. No nothing. Dominguez was about to have a heart attack if the damned of his team didn't do a single job as it should be.

"But what harm have I done to God?" he murmured to himself, breathing over and over to calm his anger.

He had gone to the temple entrance to see the damage done the day before. Since in the morning, Andre interfered with his plans. And he hoped that the fox's plans would not spoil his own.

_"I have the solution to your problems."_

That's what he told him, but the wolf didn't expect what he would suggest.

_"I'm all ears. As long as what you're about to tell me doesn't add any more unnecessary costs."_

_"No. I need you to focus on finding the hidden city and the box. But let me take care of the rabbit and the fox."_

_"What do you plan to do, then?"_

_"I have the right mammal to find them and bring them to us."_

_"I've already sent the best of in that area after them." Dominguez spat the words._

_"I'm not saying they won't, but this one has other requirements for finding mammals than the experts."_

_"As long as they're brought in alive, do as you like." The wolf shook his paw._

_"Alive they come. We need the rabbit to decipher the map, right?"_

_Dominguez rolled his eyes. Although Andre always got things his way, sometimes it led to unnecessary extremes._

_"Pay attention to what you do."_

_"After deciphering the map, they will only get in the way."_

_"Andre, we don't need unnecessary deaths." the wolf sighed._

_"I didn't say I was going to kill them. But what will happen then is no longer my responsibility."_

_"Isn't what you did to the poor rabbit's father enough?"_

_Andre smiled. Something he wasn't proud of, but Stu left no other choice. In a shrug of the shoulders, the fox answered:_

_"If he hadn't been stubborn, nothing would have happened. Besides, he took his own life"._

_"Because of you." Dominguez fought back._

_"Whatever." The fox got up. "Try to find the city and I'll take care of them. The map will only tell us the direct way to the box."_

Once again Dominguez sighed. Andre would kill them, that was for sure. But it was not his problem. He wanted the box and nothing else.

"If I hear one more explosion, I'll kill you myself."

The mammals on the team trembled. Removing the large stones from the entrance to the Inca temple, they prayed for things to go better this time.

* * *

It was so sudden that Judy only had time to deviate, position herself and prepare the bow to fire. Nick, on the other side, unable to get out, shouted for her to deviate from the onslaughts in her direction.

Another creature. Different from the first. Smaller, but equally powerful. Another onslaught, Judy deviated and fired a straight arrow. The creature squealed but did not give in. Another arrow target not hit. The creature swung where it was, turned, and ran towards the rabbit. Judy strayed with effort, pulled out another arrow, positioned herself, and shot. It hit the creature again. This time in the chest. But the monstrosity didn't seem to be affected by the arrows stuck to his body. Instead of slowing down, it only seemed faster. Judy ran from there when the creature invested beside her.

"Judy, the tree!" Nick screamed.

She looked at the little tree in front of her. If she climbed to its summit, she would have a better view of the creature. She didn't think twice and ran toward it. The distance wasn't great, but the creature was fast. So much so that, she caught the rabbit on her back, scratching her in the same place as the other creature had done. Judy squealed in pain, but she didn't stop. She ran and reached the tree, climbing it. The creature was not intimidated. Judy climbed the tree as fast as she could to reach the top, to position herself with her bow. From there, she really would have a more peripheral view of the whole place and the creature.

With one leg on one trunk and the other on another, she placed the arrow on the bow and positioned herself, ready to shoot. But the creature disappeared.

**_To be continued…_ **


	13. Shadows 13

Judy was exhausted. The creature took longer than expected. She staggered when she landed her feet on the ground after descending from the tree. What was not fatal, almost made her pass out. It was too much. And she didn't even want to know, at that moment, what else would come their way once they found the hidden city. She leaned a little on the tree trunk until her body began to obey the demands of the rabbit's mind to walk from there to Nick and help him out.

* * *

Moments before, which seemed like an eternity, the creature gave no sign of slowing down. The bow was more than ready to fire. Yet, the monster was not anywhere.

"Where?" the poor doe asked after she stopped seeing her enemy.

"There!" shouted Nick, pointing in front of him.

The Violet eyes followed the direction but saw nothing.

"Nick is not!" she replied.

"It's right in front of you!" he fought back, making the doe look like she was crazy.

"I'm fine with my vision. She's not there."

"Wait!"

It was then that Nick realized. The creature was different from the one he had encountered earlier in the lake. Besides being smaller, this one was more intelligent.

"She's hiding from the enemy."

"What did you say?" yelled Judy.

"I can see her, but you can't. She protects herself with an invisible shield from her enemy."

Judy rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. One more new thing to add to new ones that would come up.

"Follow my instructions. She is deaf, so she will not hear me."

From the times they had spoken, the creature should have taken notice of Nick by now. But that had not happened. The smell was the creature's domain. That's where that monster knew where she was going. Apart from, of course, sight.

"Where, Nick?"

"Your right! She hasn't gone up yet, aim down and shoot."

Judy moved to the right, lowered her bow, and fired. The arrow dug into the creature's spine. She squealed but did not budge.

"Judy, shoot again!" Yelled the fox one more time.

She did so. One, two, three. But instead of slowing the creature down, it only made her angrier.

"Judy, get out of there!" distressed, Nick yelled at the top of his lungs.

The creature began to climb the tree as if it were nothing. The tree began to shake violently with the onslaught, causing Judy to throw herself off balance, and have to grab onto one of the branches, leaving her attack position.

_Do something, Nick. Do something._

Distressed, he looked around for something to get the creature's attention. When a rock smiled at him. He grabbed it, positioned himself further back, having more view of the field, and tried to hit the creature. He missed. Furious, he reached for another and fired. Another miss. Their distance was not that much, but the creature's movements were fast.

_This time it will be._

The third time was the charm. He didn't shoot the creature, but the stone passed in front of the creature's eyes. Growling, the protective shield was broken, the creature came down from the tree as fast as it had come up and run in the direction from which the onslaught had come. Judy took that moment to get back into position, aim her bow, and fire. But this time she aimed at the back of the creature's head. The creature stopped, growled, and faced her, stopping halfway. Judy placed another arrow and fired. This one, hitting one of the eyes. Then, another arrow in the other eye. The creature rose to its feet, squealing loudly from the pain. At that moment, Judy aimed straight for the heart. One arrow and another went toward her chest. Louder was the creature's squeal. Then the silence. The flowers flew as soon as the creature's heavy body hit the ground, lifeless. The chirping of birds filled the space again with their melody. Judy, like Nick, breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

They could have continued, but they had wasted too much time on the creature and the sun was already setting on the horizon. To avoid incidents during the night, they decided to continue searching for the way to Kuwaq Yaku the next day. That being the case, Nick collected some trunks of wood and lit a fire. Judy searched for fruits and leaves so that she could make a broth like the one before. They had brought in their backpack the bowls and what looked like the pot, it was a deep piece of metal a little larger than the bowls, that would do the same effect.

Judy stirred the broth, while Nick scraped something with a small knife. They kept silent for a long time. However, Nick noticed that now and then Judy changed her expression to one of pain.

"Let me see your wound." the fox said.

"I'm fine, Nick."

"I still have some herbs with me. Let me see."

Judy stopped stirring the broth and positioned herself to the right. Nick pulled from his backpack a small box and a clean tissue. Then, he stood up and knelt behind her.

"When we get to Kuwaq Yaku, you need to be seen by a doctor." Nick motioned for Judy to lift her arms to take off her top. She did so but let out a groan of pain through her lips.

"We don't have time for that. Trinity should be there by now."

"You need two days’ rest, Carrots. Otherwise, you'll end up dying long before you can stop Trinity."

"Don't talk nonsense." Judy contradicted.

"You are, badly, injured. The adrenaline in your body doesn't last forever. You needed a week without adventures, but two days will be enough to get your strength back and rest that body of yours." Nick finished putting the herbs on the wound and began to put the tissue back on. "Trinity can wait a while."

Judy took a deep breath. Although every minute was precious, she would have to be in shape to stop those madmammals. She remained silent. Nick finished rolling up the fabric and helped her into her top.

"Two days you rest. In those two days, I gather information for you."

* * *

Kuwaq Yaku was an even large town to be in the middle of the forest. The locals survived on tourism, fascinated by the nature, history of the place, and the ancient temples scattered throughout the Amazon.

When they arrived, Judy was dazzled by the happiness of the inhabitants, unaware of the great catastrophe that was approaching. Nick, for his part, was more concerned about whether the doe would stay quiet for the next two days.

On their walk, as they walked further into the town, a female fox approached him. Her fur was Nick's color, changing only the color of her eyes. A dark crystal blues.

"Hello, outsiders."

"Do you know if there is any place, we can spend the night for two days?" Nick spoke, without even introducing himself. His concern for the doe as his tired body was such that what he wanted were a warm bath and a soft bed.

"You guys find yourselves too way deep into the forest. Did you get lost halfway through, or did you get separated from your group?" the fox faces them up and down.

"Not at all." Nick shook his head just as his paws.

"There were some mammals here earlier, searching for artifacts. Are you guys with them?"

"Trinity." Judy stammered

"Not." Nick shook his head and paws at the same, demonstrating that this was out of the question.

"Well, anyway." The fox shrugged her shoulders and dropped a small towel she had on her paws since they arrived. "Either way, I need a break." she set the towel down on the table with some tools. Then, she turned her back on them and asked them to follow her to the small bar across the street.

"Sorry to ask a lot of questions. But B'n'B is my home in this place," she said as she walked toward the bar.

They followed her and she sat down first at a table on the terrace.

"Have a seat. Carlos, three beers please," she asked the mammal who was behind the counter and who nodded _yes_ by going to get the drinks. Nick sat at the end of the table and Judy in front of the other fox.

"Well, you have to be careful. In the meantime, I'm Nick." he held out his paw in greeting mode.

"Abby." the female fox returned the gesture.

"Judy." the doe replied as well, removing the weapons she had on her buckle and setting them down on the table. Such a gesture made Abby look sideways and twitch her nose.

"So... what exactly are you guys doing around here?"

"Well, we were following a riddle when our plane crashed."

"You mean, crashed?" Abby was amazed at such an event. She looked at them both in disbelief, seeing that they were fine, for a plane crash.

"We can say that." Nick scratched behind his head.

"And you guys come walking since the crash?"

"Ah, well, you know, we were flying very low over." Nick laughed trying to disguise the poorly told lie.

Judy seized the moment to interfere before Abby asked any more unnecessary questions.

"We are looking for Maya's runes." Judy pulled out of her pocket, a picture of the runes. Abby leaned over to observe what was in the picture and was surprised by the image. Hence, she questioned it.

"Maya? You know you're in Peru, right?"

"Yes. It's a long story..." said Judy and Nick at the same time.

Abby was confused but decided to answer without walking around questioning further. She didn't want to get in trouble, and they seemed like they just wanted to find out certain things about where she lived without getting into the zone of "creating a deeper friendship."

**_To be continued…_ **


	14. Shadows 14

"Well, you don't look like typical archaeologists to me!" the fox said, looking at both.

"Oh, she's an archaeologist. I'm the helper."

"Um..."

That "um" came out teasingly in Judy's ears. The doe, who was paying attention to the photo, looked sideways at the female in front of her. And her suspicion was right. She was flirting with Nick. Not that the doe hadn't already noticed since they had found her. After all, the foxes there were few and, from what Judy could observe, there were none that came within the parameters of her partner.

"The Maya runes, Abby. Do you know anything?" Judy put the picture closer to the fox, getting her attention. The female stared at her, and it was not in a nice way.

"Where did you take that?"

"Um...Mexico. Why?" Judy raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I've seen this symbol before!" One index finger went straight to the symbol that caught her eye.

"Where?"

"There are little runes nearby, just like a little stone with something engraved on it."

"Do you mind if I look around town?" Judy asked.

"Out of the question!" interfered Nick, staring at his friend angrily. "Have you forgotten how to hurt you are?"

"Oh, come on, Nick. They..."

"Out of the question!" He repeated the same words.

This time even Abby was startled by Nick's authoritative tone. Judy was silent and merely lowered her ears.

"A hostel, Abby. Two nights and two days." the fox stared at the female fox. Abby swallowed dryly.

"Alright!"

Then, she stood up and motioned for them to accompany her. Judy stowed the weapons back in their intended places and followed behind the two foxes.

During the short drive to a small hut a few yards away from the village, but surrounded by trees and a small pond, she welcomed the new guests. Abby informed that the hostel there was that small hut. Nick looked around and saw how comfortable it was. He smiled and thanked Abby. The fox said goodbye to them and left, indicating that if they needed anything, they could count on her.

"You didn't have to talk like that." Judy retorted removing the weapons from her pockets and body and placing them on the table.

"You forgot about your health. Don't push your luck." Nick did not face her, turning away from the small room and going to look at the bedrooms.

"The older he is, the grumpier he gets," Judy muttered between her teeth before following him to see the bedrooms. However, her words did not go unnoticed by the fox where he replied with a snout twist and an uncomfortable _tsk_. Judy rolled her eyes.

So many years together, so many arguments between them. Judy will lose count of how many times they argued over silly things. Many of those arguments gave long periods of estrangement until one of them stepped up to do the twisting, with the bunny always being the first to do it. However, there, it was not going to be. She had already lost patience with always being the one to excuse first, where a lot of the time it wasn't even her fault.

"Two days, two nights. Sitting in bed or on the couch. Apart from the kitchen and the bathroom. You are forbidden to venture out of the house."

Orders were to be carried out. If she broke, Nick was not going to forgive her so quickly. And at that moment, that wasn't what she wanted at all.

* * *

Which two days? It was four days in a row without being able to leave the house. In that time, Nick nursed the rabbit's wounds, showing good progress in her improvements. The herbs were a real cure in addition to the medicines. Judy looked as good as new but still had to be careful with her deeper wounds.

In that time, Nick found the entrance to the temple of the Maya. With Abby's help, he was able to decipher some of the writings, but many, he had to take pictures for Judy to help him. In those four days, Abby also visited the bunny. Judy could like her, as the fox was very affectionate and friendly. If it weren't for the constant attacks on Nick, where one of the times the poor doe got fed up, slammed her paws on the wood of the table where they were discussing how to proceed through finding the entrance, and turned her back on them, heading for the outside. Just then, Nick walked over to her, questioning what was going on.

"I just don't like Abby's attitude." with her arms crossed, she sighed.

"Oh, she's just trying to help." However, Nick knew there was something more there. Judy couldn't be upset just because Abby was meddling in their mission, right? He decided to test her. It was a huge mistake.

"She has done more than enough already." she tapped her foot.

"Um...why don't you like her?"

"Who says I don't like her?" Judy stared at her friend, as she spoke with her back to him, while her eyes appreciated the lake in front of her.

"From your reaction earlier and the one now, that seems to be it. Besides, I don't know if you realized, but every time I mentioned Abby's name, your expression changed constantly."

"Huh?! That's just your impression." Judy tried to cover it up, but the flaw in her voice gave her away. On Nick's face, an ear-to-ear grin.

"I don't think it is. Is there something you want to tell me, Carrots?" it was his turn to cross his arms and put a more teasing smile on his lips.

For the first time in all that time, Judy refused to look into the eyes of the fox in front of her. Although it was dark, the glare from the lights of the cabin in front of her in conjunction with the light of the full moon, gave no minimum space to hide her face from showing more than it should. So, she looked down at the grass in front of her.

"There's nothing else!" she said in a firm tone.

"I still can't believe it. This is the first time you've ever reacted that way to another mammal. In so many years, in that head, there is only exploration, artifacts, and adventures. There is no room for other things. Or so I thought."

If there was a hole there, Judy would throw herself into it without thinking. Nick was right in what he was saying. She was interested in nothing more than adventures, artifacts, expeditions, and now she had Trinity's problem in her paws, just like that of every mammal on the face of the earth. After all, if she hadn't taken the dagger from where it was, and if her father hadn't committed suicide because of Andre, she and he wouldn’t be right there now, trying to save a world from two madmammal. However, Judy knew that something else had long, long been bothering her and it had nothing to do with the expeditions or anything archaeology. And, Abby's presence only intensified what she already suspected. But it was out of her to tell Nick. This was not the time or moment for that. When it was, she would say it.

"I don't know what you mean. I just have it in my head to get this over with before Andre and Dominguez. If they get the box, the world is lost."

"Whatever." although he was not convinced, Nick sighed and scratched behind his head. "However, try to calm your jealousy before Abby."

"Jealous?" shocked, Judy stared at him without any remorse. "I'm not jealous of her!"

"That's not what you imply, to be honest with you. You haven't gone for her face since day one."

"Yeah no, I won't. She's already getting into it too much. All it would take is some information, not that she's been poking her snout in."

"Don't be ungrateful, Carrots. She's been very helpful to us." Nick fought back. With arched eyebrows, he knew they would end up arguing once again.

"Helped with what? Pictures? That you can do on your own."

"Point the way?"

"What are maps for?"

"Carrots, why the map if we can get there faster?"

"Ah, do as you like." was the last straw. Judy started walking toward the cabin. She stopped next to Nick before continuing on her way. "She will be your responsibility!" were the words and she walked inside the cabin.

Nick swallowed dryly. It would take much longer this time for the two of them to get upset and it wouldn't be Judy who apologized first. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was no time for the two of them to be like this.

_You excided yourself, Nick. What were you waiting for?_

Nick knew that Judy was different. Very different since he had found her after they had fallen from the helicopter. Or had it been before? There was something, something else. Something he wanted to hear from her. Something he was sure existed. Something he could feel it too.

**_To be continued…_ **


End file.
